Extensible pilaster



July 10, 1928.

s. LowY EXTENSIBLE -PILLSTER Filed June 17, 1925 INVENTOR 11116' ATTORNEY Patented July l0, 1928.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL LOWY, oF NEW YORK, N. Y..

EXTENSIBLE .'PILASTER. c

Application filed June 17, 1925.v serial No. 37,655. v

My invention relates to partitions intended for lofts, offices and stores, and,v more particularly to pilasters used in the construction of such partitions.

The present invention covers a specific type of the structure described in the application Serial N o. 13,711, filed by me on March 7, 1925, and embodying the principle of holding a, partition in place by pressure' between the pilasters and the floor and ceiling, without the use of screws or nails, and, therefore, without Adeformation or damage characteristic of present `day structures of this class when a partition is removed, eX-

`3 3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross section through the ceiling strip and cross rail, at some distance from the pilaster; Figure 5 is a detail of the base of my pilaster, in cross section; and Figures 6 and 7 are details of a modication of my device. j

Referring in particular 4to Figures 1 to 5, I ny pilaster is composed of a main hollow post 1 and an extension post 2, this extension post being shown in Figure l as elevated up to thevceiling 3. The main hollow post 1 rests in a shoe 4 having sharp-edged flanges or spikes 5 partly embedded in the floor 6. Fitting into the main hollow post 1, at the base thereof, is a wooden block 7, covered by a metal plate 8. To the plate 8 is affixed in any suitable manner the vertical post 10, of square cross section, provided on two opposite sides along its entire length with notches 9, A9. A jacket made up of two halves 12, 12, of U shaped cross section, surrounds the post 10 and is provided at its lower end with lugs or pins 13, 13', adapted to engage and rest in the notches 9, 9. The two jacket halves 12, 12', are connected about midway their lengths by a hinge 11 whereby they may be given a seesaw movement. An expansion spring 14 near the upper end of the jacket forces the two halves 12, 12 away from one another and thereby holds the lugs 13', 13 intheir engagement with the corresponding notches. A collar 15 at the lower end of the jacket serves as a support for the facings 16, which` facings together with the jacket. constitute the eX- tension post2. In Figure 1, the facings 16 are shown, on the kleft side, as raised to their finalposition, and, on the right side, as only partially raised. lhemethod of raising these faoings will be made clear further below, in explaining the operation of the device. ings 16 are trimmed to allow them to-pass lthe flange 18, which flange forms a` part of the lid 17 topping the jacket halves 12, 12, and cooperates `with the spring 14 to hold said jacket halves in position. The lid 17 has al central hole into which loosely fits the nut 19, which nut'is formed with a shoulder 19 resting on said lid 17. The nut 19 4is threaded to receive the threaded stem 20 of the U shaped member 21 and is pro-v vided wit-h holes 22 for lthe insertion of a pin orlever (not shown) whereby said nut may be turned. A ceiling strip 23, trimmed to fit into the U shaped member 21 so as to form a flush surface therewith, is braced underneath by a cross rail 24. j A moulding 25 covers the face of the ceiling strip 23v and part of the cross rail 24.

In Figures 6 and 7 is shown a modification of my device as tothe manner of connecting the pilaster to the ceiling strip. In vthis modification, the U shaped member 21 is replaced by a plate 26 havinga sharp edged projection 27, whereof a front view is shown in Figure 6, and a side view in Figure 7.

The main hollow post 1 is made up of the facings 28 andthe fillers 29, the latter' fitting tightly in the vertical grooves 30 formed in the facings 28. Sufficient space 31 is allowed between the facings 28 of the main post 1 and the facings 16 of the eXtensionpost 2, to permit the seesaw movement ofthe jacket 12, 12.

When the pilaster is lunextended, then practically all ofthe extension post 2 re-v The mains within the main hollowpost.` post 10 may be sufficiently depressed below theupper surface of the main post to allow the entire extension post to bev concealed within it, but even when the post 10 extends It will be noted that the facas high as is shownin Figure 1 of the drawing, the extension post 2 will be concealed bythe moulding (not shown) which'always caps the main hollow post.

When it is desired kto extend the pilaster to the ceiling, one takes hold of the jacket ntl halves 12, 1-2, immediately under the lid 17, and forces them towards one another, which action releases the plugs 13, 13 from engagement with the notches 9, 9. The jacket halves 12, l2 are then raised until the U shaped member' 2l comes in contactiwith the ceiling strip 23, when the pressure on the jacket halves is released and the lugs13, 13 fall into the corresponding notches 9, 9', at the proper elevation.A The spring 14 will cause the jacket to hold in the new position. Next, the nut 19 is turned, forcing the U shaped member 21 upwards until it presses firmly on the ceiling'strip 23 and, through the ceiling strip on thek ceiling. y The U shaped `member 21 is prevented vfrom turning with the nut 19 by the ceiling strip which, in operation, would naturally pass through at least two U shaped members of up Vthe vpilaster, the faclngs `16 are raised up lto successive pilasters. `After tlnis jacking the U shaped member. the cross rail 2 is placed in position', andthe moulding' is nailed onto the ceiling strip, cross rail and facings V 16, thus firmly 'locking the entire structure in position. Y

When the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7 isused, the sharp edged projection 27 is wedged into the ceiling strip 23 as nut 19 turned, the shape of the projection 27 being such as to jin'event the plate 2G from turning with the nut 19.

I may, of course` dispense with the spring 14, if I provide the hinge 'l1 with the necesspringaction. This is but one of the many variations of .my device obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that, although I Vhave illustrated my invention in a specific embodiment thereof, my device is not limited to this' particular illustration, but covers any modification, addition or omission which is within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

f In an extensible pilaster, a main'hollow post, a second post within said hollow post extending upwards from the base thereof, notches along` the length of said second post. a jacket over sai-d second post adapted for' longitudinal movement relatively thereto rand provided with alug adapted to engage one of said notches, and resilient means `for releasing said lug from said engagement.

2. An extensible pilaster comprising` a main hollow post, `a second post extending longitiidinally within said i'na'in hollow post and fixed at the base thereof, notches along the length of said second post, a jacket on said second post non-i'otatably movable relatively thereto and provided with a lug adaptedto engage one of said notches, means for releasing said lug from such engagement, a facing for'said jacket adapted to form an .extension of said main hollow post, andv means for raising said facing when Said jacket is raised.

3. An extensible pilaster comprising a main hollow post, a rectangular post extending longitudinally within said hollow postand fixed at the base thereof, notches along the length of said rectangular post on two opposite sides thereof, a jacket on said rectangular post made in two sections, a hinge connecting said Atwo jacket sections, va lug on each jacket section at the lower end thereof, means cooperating with said hinge for engaging said lugs with said notches andV of said rectangular post on two opposite sides thereof, a jacket on said rectangular post made in two halves hinged together for seesaw movement, a lug on each jacket half at the lower end thereof adapted to engage one of said notches, means for holding said lugs in and for releasing them from engage- .ment with said notches, a facing for said i jacket adapted to form an extension of said main hollow post, and means for raising i Y said facing when said jacket is raised.

5. An extensible piaster comprising a main hollow post, a rectangular post therewithin and extending upwardssubstantially the height thereof, a multiplicity of parallel notches along the length of said rectangular post on two opposite sides thereof,

a jacket on said rectangular post made in two halves of U shaped cross section hinged together for seesaw movement, a lug on each jacket half at the lower end thereof adapted to engage one of said notches, resilient means for holding said lugs in and for releasing them from engagement with said notches, a projection on said jacket at the lower end thereof, facings for said jacket resting on said projection, a cap topping vsaid jacket, a threaded hole in saidcap, a shoev havingl a threaded stem fitting into said threaded hole, a nut on said stem above said cap,"a`nd means kfor turning said nut. i

6.' In a partition, comprising a ,ceiling strip, a pilaster such as described inclaim-7 and means on the shoe forming part of the structure of said pilaster for engaging'said ceiling strip and preventing said shoe'from turning when the nut mentioned in said claim is turned.v f 7. In an extensible pilaster, a main hollow post, a second post extending upwards within said hollow post, an extension member on said second post adapted for longitudinal movement relatively thereto, an extension of said main hollow post movable with said extension member, means for holding said extension member at a fixed elevation, and resilient means for releasing it for said longitudinal movement.

8. In an extensible pilaster, a main hollow post, a second post extending upwards within said hollow post, an extension of saidl main hollow post on'said second post adapted to be held at a lixed elevation, a press topping said extension, and resilient means for rev leasing said extension.

9. In an extensible pilaster, a pilaster extension adapted to be lheld at a lixed elevation, a pressure delivering element topping said pilaster extension, means for causing said pressure element to rise, and resilient means for releasing said pilaste-rl extension.

l0. In a pilaster, an extension member adapted for longitudinal movement relatively thereto, a cap topping said extension member, a threaded hole in said cap, a pressure delivering elementhaving a threaded stem fitting into said threaded hole, a nut on said threaded stem above said cap, means for turning saidv nut, means for preventing said pressure element from4 turning when said nut is turned, and resilient means for holding said extension member at a fixed elevation and for releasing it for said longitudinal movement.

l1. In an extensible pilast'er, an extension member adapted for longitudinal movement relatively thereto, means for holding said extension member at a' fixed elevation, resilient means for releasing said extension member for said longitudinal movement, and additional extension means at the upper end of said extension member.

l2. In a pilaster,an extension member adapted to be held in a iixed position relatively thereto, and resilient means for releasing said extension member operableby a movement thereof.

13. In a pilaster, an extension member adapted to be held ina fixed position rela tively thereto, a press topping said extension member, and resilient means for releasing said extension member.

SAMUEL LOI/VY. 

